


The Road Ahead Of Us

by Huntress79



Category: Agent Carter (TV)
Genre: Case Fic, F/M, Homicide (mentioned), Jack Thompson is alive, Moving In Together, Post-Season/Series 02
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-13 09:48:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29276442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Huntress79/pseuds/Huntress79
Summary: While working a case, Daniel drops an important question. What will Peggy’s answer be?
Relationships: Peggy Carter/Daniel Sousa
Comments: 8
Kudos: 20
Collections: Chocolate Box - Round 6





	The Road Ahead Of Us

**Author's Note:**

  * For [useyourtelescope](https://archiveofourown.org/users/useyourtelescope/gifts).



> written for Chocolate Box 2021 and useyourtelescope. Set at some point after Peggy and Daniel's final scene in Season 2, with Jack alive and on the mend. Appearances/Mentions of other characters from the show. Hope you like it! Enjoy!

*********************

Deep down, Daniel knew that it was NOT the proper way to conduct any SSR investigation, and yet, he just couldn’t help himself.

“Stop grinning like a lunatic, Sousa,” Jack groused into his ear. “While I know why and am happy for you and Carter, we’re at a crime scene, for Pete’s sake.”

Daniel shook his head, both at his colleague (and friend) and to clear his head and refocus. Sure, Jack was right, but after all, Daniel was head of the L.A. office - which meant that Jack couldn’t go and give him an order, not anymore.

“What was that?”

Peggy’s voice broke through his current thought, laced with worry. While everyone and their neighbour was glad that Jack had pulled through after being shot and left for dead at his hotel, some of them couldn’t help but wonder if the New Yorker had any soul at all.

“Oh, you mean Jack?” Peggy nodded, her eyes wandering over to where the man in question was talking to one of the local law enforcement. “He was just reminding me that we’re at a crime scene.”

“Oh, that,” Peggy replied, her red lips curving up in a, what Daniel called, conspiratorial smile. “Didn’t we agree this very morning that we tone it down as best as we can, especially when we’re around our colleagues?”

“I remember that we did,” Daniel gave back, feeling a light blush creeping up his neck. “But I can’t help myself - I see you, and I have to smile. Because I’m happy, and because I can’t believe it myself sometimes that this,” he made a gesture between them, “is really happening.”

“It is, darling, and the sooner we finish up here,” Peggy added, “the sooner we can enjoy that thing between us.” For emphasis, she gave him another blinding smile, before she headed to where Samberly and other technicians were working.

*********************

The case itself was not the most puzzling one to any of them - they had weathered worse than that and came out at the other side - but still, the fact that the bodies were of two L.A. city council members and that there was some sort of strange tech involved in their killing made it top priority for the SSR office. Especially since the tech bore a lot of similarities to the specimen of Stark tech they have encountered so far.

“Alright, Carter,” Jack began once all three of them were sitting in Daniel’s office, “you know Stark the best. Any chance that he finally changed lanes?”

“No,” Peggy returned with a shake of her head. “Ever since I met him, Howard had plenty of opportunities to turn to our enemies. He didn’t take any of them back then, and he certainly won’t start now.” She exchanged a look with Daniel before continuing. “Besides, his personal life is finally beginning to shape into something more solid, so he certainly won’t endanger it by selling tech to the dark side.”

“Good to hear,” Daniel added, even though he already had heard about Howard’s courtship to a young Italo-American woman. “So, what do you think is it then? Disgruntled former employee? A competitor that lost against Stark? An ex-lover?”

“It could be all of them, to be honest,” Peggy admitted, giving a shrug. “I’m more inclined toward a former employee, since most of the similarities are with the basic design of the device. But it could be a team-up of all the suggested, for all we know.”

“Okay,” Daniel began with a sigh. “Jack, you will dig into Stark’s enterprise here on the West coast. See if any of the employees, current and former, stand out in any way.”

“Got it,” Jack replied with a nod. He would never say it out loud, but after that close call, he still was glad when he could do most of his work from the office instead of doing field work. Besides, they had some new recruits he could send out in his place.

“Peggy,” Daniel turned to her after Jack left the office. “Since you know Howard the best, you will go investigate the ex-lover angle.” Peggy nodded. “Maybe the Jarvises can help you shine a light on it, so you don’t have to bother him so much.”

“Oh, they definitely can, and I’m sure, once I’ve told them the cliff notes of our case, they will want to help in any way they can. They both are very loyal to Howard, no surprise after everything he has done for them during the war.”

“Good, and I myself will dive into the competitor angle. Economy in California is booming in general,” Daniel said while getting up from behind the desk. “There should be plenty of small businesses wanting to have a piece of a larger cake.”

*********************

“Peggy! Everything’s okay?”

Ana’s voice was the first thing that greeted Peggy the moment she crossed the threshold into the Stark mansion. Only heartbeats later, the redhead came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a towel while giving Peggy a once-over.

“Don’t worry about me, Ana, I’m fine. Actually,” Peggy added with a smile, “I’m more than fine.”

“I take it has something to do with that colleague of yours, right?” Ana replied, her worried expression making way for a smile.

“It has, indeed,” Peggy admitted. “But that’s not why I’m back here in the middle of the day.” She took a deep breath. “Ana, is Edwin around?”

“Not now,” Ana replied, leading Peggy over to the living room, “he’s doing the weekly grocery shopping. But he should be back soon. Why, Peggy? Has something happened?”

“Yes, something has happened, but rest assured, none of our friends has been harmed.” The other woman let out a breath of relief. “But we’ve come to an angle in our investigation that I can’t investigate alone.”

Both women sat down on the couch, and after a few moments, Ana spoke up again.

“You think we can help you, do you?”

“I absolutely do,” Peggy replied. “I even think that you and Edwin can be of better help than anyone else.”

Right that moment, they heard an engine outside, and moments later, Edwin Jarvis’ voice could be heard from the entryway.

“Darling, I’m home!”

“I’m coming!” Ana called out, getting up from the couch and heading out into the hallway. “Edwin, darling, we have company.”

“Who?”

“Peggy, and she needs our help.”

“Is Mr. Sousa not treating her right?”

“No, I think that thing is sailing smoothly. She needs our help for her work.”

“Oh. Well, just help me with putting the groceries away before we both plunge into the world of spies once more.”

In no time, the Jarvises had put everything Edwin had bought into the correct storage places, and once he had also put the car into the garage, they headed into the living room.

“Peggy,” Edwin said as soon as he saw their friend, “Ana said you need our help. How can we be of assistance?”

“Well,” the British woman began, “in our latest case, we’re not only dealing with a double homicide, but also with what looks a lot like Howard’s tech - again.”

Both Ana and Edwin let out a groan, having a sense of deja-vu. Judging by Peggy’s expression, they weren’t the only ones feeling so.

“You don’t think it was Mr. Stark himself, do you?” Edwin asked.

“No, not at all,” Peggy assured them. “But we have too many overlapping details to ignore the connection to him.”

“Like what?” Ana asked.

“The whole design of the tech. Back during the war, I’ve seen some of Howard’s designs, and this one is quite the same. And while we all think it’s either a former employee or a competitor who lost against Stark, we also can’t rule out an ex-lover as well.” Peggy took a steadying breath. “And that’s where you two come in.”

“So you don’t have to ask Howard himself, right?” Edwin replied with a soft smile.

“Yeah, I would like to keep that option as a last resort. I don’t know Maria that well, but I don’t think I would grin and bear it when some government agency came knocking and asking about Daniel’s former lovers.”

“Me neither,” Ana added with a smile of her own before getting up again. “Well, I’m going to make us some tea and see if we have some cookies to go with it, and you two,” she pointed at Edwin and Peggy, “are getting started on the women Mr. Stark has romanced before.”

*********************

Several hours later, Peggy finally got back to the office. By now, most of their colleagues had already left for the day. Only Jack was still sitting at his desk, reading a file.

“Jack, go home,” Peggy ordered as she stopped at his desk. “Of all the people in this office, you still need some rest the most.”

“Just finishing this file, then I’m out, Mom,” Jack replied, looking up at Peggy with a crooked smile. “Besides, I didn’t do too much today after we came back from the crime scene.”

“Oh, you’re taking advantage of our new recruits, don’t you?” Peggy teased.

“Absolutely, and since they all know the story, none of them dares to voice a protest.”

“So, any results on your end?”

“Not really,” Jack admitted with a sigh. “I mean, we have singled out a handful of suspicious ones, but I’m not sending out people at this time of the day. We’re going to pay them a visit first thing tomorrow morning.”

“Alright, Jack,” Peggy replied before giving his shoulder a light squeeze. “I never thought I would say that, not after how working with you started,” he let out a groan at that, “but I’m glad having you back here with us, Jack. You left us all quite worried.”

“Thanks, Peggy,” Jack said around the lump in his throat. “And you know what? This file is going to be here in the morning still. I’m heading home, get some of that rest you mentioned.”

“You do that, Jack. Good night.”

Peggy made her way over to the closed door of Daniel’s office, and just as he was in the doorway, Jack called out to her once more.

“Good night to you too, Carter. And get that man of yours home as well.”

“I will try my best,” Peggy replied with a smile and a shake of her head while watching Jack leave. Sobering up, she finally opened the door.

And to what a sight.

Still sitting in his chair, Daniel apparently had fallen asleep. Yet, Peggy let her eyes wander, looking for any kind of wound. She had lost too many people already.

“Hey, Daniel,” she finally said, giving his shoulder a light shake.

“Wha… what’s happening? Peggy?” Daniel got out around a yawn.

“As they say, in the flesh,” Peggy replied with a smile. Daniel Sousa had his adorable moments quite regularly, but right now, he was hitting it out of the ballpark, so to speak.

“Oh, damn it!” Daniel sat up straight, trying to regain some sense of authority. “Good thing that you found me asleep, not Jack or any of the others.”

“Well, since it’s just me and you left in this building, your dignity has survived another day,” Peggy replied drily.

“What? Last time I checked, Jack was still hunching over one file or another.”

“Well, he got some pep talk, that made him realize that the file will still be here tomorrow.”

“Oh, Mama Bear Peggy has struck again,” Daniel told her with a smile.

“Someone has to,” she justified. “Otherwise, the SSR would have to remodel the storage into sleeping quarters, with all you bachelors around.”

“So,” Daniel began, sobering up from their little banter, “any development on the ex-lover angle?”

“Well,” Peggy replied with a sigh, “I have some names, but finding them is going to take some time. Which I know we don’t have,” Daniel nodded, “not with the mayor breathing down your neck.”

“Nothing I can’t handle,” Daniel assured her, grabbing the hand closest to him and giving it a squeeze. “But there’s something I wanted to ask you for some time…”

“What is it, Daniel? You know you can talk to me about everything.”

“I know, Peg, I know.” He took a deep breath. “And I also know that we have only just begun our journey, so to speak, but I was wondering if you would like to move in with me.”

“The house you shared with Violet?”

“No, I sold it after that attack on me.” Daniel got up and went over to where his suit jacket was hanging, pulling out some paper from the inner pocket. “Let me know what you think about it,” he added while handing Peggy the papers.

Peggy was, for once, rendered speechless. Sure, ever since their first kiss in this very office, they had spent almost every minute of the day together, yet she wasn’t expecting that offer.

Folding out the papers, Peggy’s eyes were drawn to the picture attached to the first page. It was, compared to Howard’s mansion, a small house, but funny enough, right up her alley. Sure, at some point in the future she wanted to have a family of her own, but for now, they didn’t need that much space at all.

“It’s closer to work as well, halfway from Stark’s mansion,” Daniel spoke up.

“Judging from the picture alone, I’m inclined to already love it,” she replied, giving him a smile. “Of course, I need a personal tour before I make my final decision.”

“I wouldn’t want it any other way, Peggy. Let’s solve this case first, okay?”

“Absolutely fine with me, Daniel. And to answer your initial question - yes, I would love to move in with you.”

For emphasis, Peggy closed the (short) distance between them and kissed him. A kiss that got steamy in no time, and that left them breathless once air became a necessity.

They were going to solve that case, Peggy was convinced, and afterwards, her and Daniel were going to open the next chapter of their love.

*********************

The End

*********************


End file.
